Vascular proliferative disorders are conditions within the walls of blood vessels, including arteries and veins, which result in occlusion or blockage of blood flow. A common vascular proliferative disorder is restenosis. Restenosis is a major clinical problem associated with coronary angioplasty and other medical procedures. Restenosis generally occurs within about 0 to 6 months in about 30% to 50% of patients who undergo balloon angioplasty to clear clogged coronary arteries in an effort to prevent and treat heart disease due to occluded arteries. The resulting restenosis causes substantial patient morbidity and health care expenses.
The process of restenosis is initiated by injury of the vessel, with the subsequent release of thrombogenic, vasoactive, and mitogenic factors. Endothelial and deep-vessel injury leads to platelet aggregation, thrombus formation, inflammation, and activation of macrophages and smooth-muscle cells. These events induce the production and release of growth factors and cytokines, which in turn may promote their own synthesis and release from target cells Thus, a self-perpetuating process is initiated.
There currently are no effective treatments available for restenosis. Accordingly, a major medical need exists for effective treatments for restenosis and other vascular proliferative disorders. We have now discovered that poly(arginine) can be used to treat vascular proliferative disorders such as restenosis.